New research being presented to the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) today (Thursday) shows that employees are performing better in remote work environments, with strong evidence from both workers and managers that flexible working arrangements are delivering improved outcomes.
The findings draw on Ireland’s largest study of remote and hybrid work to date, commissioned by Fórsa trade union, Ireland’s largest public service trade union. The findings were initially presented at the union’s conference in May.
The research combines survey data from Amárach Research covering close to 20,000 public service workers, including more than 5,000 managers, alongside survey and focus group research by Ireland Thinks. It examines current and preferred working arrangements and their impact on day-to-day operations, workplace culture, career development and work-life balance.
Key Findings
- Drivers of preference: Reduced commuting time (78%), greater productivity (69%) and lower work-related expenses (68%).
- Performance: Only 6% of managers report deadline challenges in remote settings, compared with 23% in fully on site environments. Managers also report higher satisfaction with communication, collaboration and meetings among remote/hybrid teams.
- Time dividend: Almost half (45%) of respondents said reduced commuting time gains them three or more hours per week, while 15% gain over six hours. Of that time, 48% of respondents said it goes on household responsibilities, with 30% reporting more time spent with children, while 28% use the time to do more work.
- Cost-of-living: Almost half say flexible work reduces overall care costs, most notably on childcare, while many report lower fuel and transport costs.
- Talent: flexibility is seen as critical to recruitment and retention across the public service.
Fórsa campaigns director Kevin Donoghue said the findings provide clear, independent validation of productivity gains: “Six years on from the shift to remote working, which was a huge overnight experiment, the evidence is consistent. People are getting more done and working in ways that are more sustainable for them.
“We see a marked difference between the experience of our members in health and education, where fully on-site work is more the established norm, compared to civil service and local government sectors where there is greater access to flexible work.
“There’s an observable difference between workers’ experience in the office compared to remote working. Remote workers are far less likely to miss deadlines, while they also find it easier to collaborate and have a better overall work life balance.
“Hybrid stands out as the most common arrangement and probably the model that works best. Notably, most respondents said that even one day of remote work per week makes a meaningful difference. It gives people balance, and it allows organisations to maintain performance and collaborative opportunities, as well as fostering a positive workplace culture, while improving how work fits into people’s lives. In that context our research aligns with similar findings in other independent studies,” he said.
Work & Life
Ireland Thinks research participants (1,200 survey respondents and 24 interviews) reported significantly higher satisfaction with work-life balance, with up to nine in ten workers in mainly or fully remote roles describing themselves as satisfied. These arrangements bring practical benefits, including reduced commuting time and lower fuel costs.
Workers who are fully on-site report longer, more exhausting commutes, greater financial pressure, and less time and energy outside of work. Almost half of respondents say flexible work reduces their care costs, pointing to a real cost-of-living benefit. Flexible working is also seen as critical to the recruitment and retention of staff, and to maintaining the competitiveness of the public service as an employer. Many respondents express concern that reducing access to flexibility could lead to the loss of experienced and specialised staff.
Managers are broadly supportive of remote and hybrid arrangements, while acknowledging the challenges of managing blended teams. However, many day-to-day workplace issues are reported to be more acute on-site. Satisfaction with communication, collaboration and meetings all scores higher among those working remotely or in hybrid arrangements. While some workers report feelings of isolation, experiences are mixed.
Policy Context
Mr Donoghue said that, overall, the direction is clear: “Flexible working is improving performance, enhancing quality of life, and helping to ease wider infrastructural pressures like housing, transport, childcare and the cost of living.
“Flexible work arrangements give workers the option of living far from the office without the life-sapping experience of long and pointless commutes. These findings provide a strong evidence base for policymakers. We’re not talking about a short-term shift, it’s a long-term change in how work is organised.
“If we’re serious about addressing infrastructure pressures and building a more sustainable workforce, flexible work has to be part of the solution,” he said.
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